The following players also missed the cut for the team that will play in Brazil: defenders Michael Parkhurst, Brad Evans and Clarence Goodson; midfielders Joe Corona and Maurice Edu; and forward Terrence Boyd.

Donovan, 32, has played for the U.S. in the past three World Cups dating back to 2002. He has been the face of the national team for most of the past decade, but spoke in recent months about how his body is no longer what it had once been.

"I was looking forward to playing in Brazil and, as you can imagine, I am very disappointed with today's decision," he wrote.

Donovan was a mainstay of the national team before he took a sabbatical of about four months after the 2012 season, spending part of the time in Cambodia. U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann said Donovan would have to earn his spot back.

Klinsmann restored Donovan to the roster for last summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup, where he excelled, and played Donovan in World Cup qualifiers later in the year. But Klinsmann kept Donovan out of the starting lineup for last month's exhibition against Mexico, saying he had practiced poorly because of a knee problem.

Donovan has appeared in more World Cup matches, 12, than any other U.S. player. He is second on the list of all-time appearances for the United States.

"It's an exciting moment when you have narrowed the roster down as a coaching staff, and these 23 players that you've chosen can focus now purely on Brazil," Klinsmann in a statement. "We can go into more specific things about technical approaches, and about the opponents. For the players, it's very important to know that they are now part of it and they can relax and know they are on the list going to Brazil and taking it from there. After almost 10 days of work right now, we thought the point has come to make the decision."

When Klinsmann announced his 30-man preliminary roster on May 12, he said he viewed Donovan more as a forward than a midfielder. In his place are young playmaker Aron Johannsson, 23, and MLS veteran Chris Wondolowski, 31.

Wondolowski was a hero of the U.S. triumph in last summer's Gold Cup, with five goals in the first two games. He also scored twice in a friendly against South Korea in February, and once against Mexico in April. He has five goals in nine games for the San Jose Earthquakes so far this season.

Johannsson was the third-top scorer in the Dutch Eredivisie this season for AZ Alkmaar, with 17 league goals.

Donovan can also play on the wing, but Klinsmann instead chose Bayern Munich youngster Julian Green, who at 18 years old is the youngest member of the squad. He made his first and only appearance for the U.S. as a substitute against Mexico in April.

Edu and Goodson also played on the 2010 roster but did not make the final squad this time.

Five of the cut players compete in Major League Soccer, while Corona plays in Mexico for Tijuana and Boyd plays for Rapid Vienna in Austria.

They have been placed on a standby list and will be returned to their club teams.

Among defenders, MLS players Evans, Goodson and Parkhurst were overlooked in favor of three players who compete in Klinsmann's native Germany: John Brooks, Timmy Chandler and Fabian Johnson. Brooks, 21, has made just three appearances with the Americans.

Parkhurst said he thought he did his best in the training camp in Stanford, Calif.

Gutted. At peace tho knowing i did everything i could and made it a tough decision for coaches. All the best to the boys in Brazil #USMNT